


Cost and Benefit Analysis

by inkandpaperqwerty



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Derek Morgan & Aaron Hotchner Friendship, Episode Tag, Episode: s08e18 Restoration, Family, Friendship, Gen, Past Abuse, Short & Sweet, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-26 07:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20738417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkandpaperqwerty/pseuds/inkandpaperqwerty
Summary: After seeing his abuser face to face, Morgan needs a moment to collect himself, but Hotch isn't about to let a teammate suffer alone. Sometimes, hours of bad things can be made worth it in a few minutes of something good.





	Cost and Benefit Analysis

“It’s a long list, Hotch.”

“This unsub’s devolving. He’ll stand out; he won’t be hard to find.”

“I’m gonna use the head before we leave.”

Hotch watched Morgan walk away and then glanced down at the list in his hands, immediately realizing his mistake. It had a lot of names, yes, but Morgan wasn’t talking about the difficulty of singling out an unsub.

“Morg—” Hotch turned around, but Morgan had already disappeared.

Hotch sighed, inwardly cursing himself, and he walked briskly down the hall, leaning around the nearest corner just in time to see Morgan disappear into the bathroom. Hotch glanced at the list in his hand and then tucked it into his coat, closing the distance between himself and the bathroom.

Hotch pushed the door in and entered the bathroom quietly, immediately spotting Morgan hunched over a sink in the dark.

Morgan must have heard Hotch, because he lifted his head to see who entered, but his stomach quickly forced him to duck down again.

Hotch quietly approached and placed a hand on Morgan’s back. He rubbed lightly, not saying anything, waiting for the spasms to cease.

Morgan stopped heaving for a second and tried to catch his breath, spitting periodically. “M’fine, Hotch.”

Hotch simply nodded. “I know.” He didn’t doubt that Morgan was his own version of fine, and Hotch was hardly in a position to judge unrealistic definitions of the word.

If Morgan intended to protest, he was cut off by his gag reflex.

Hotch stood there in silence, rubbing Morgan’s back from time to time but otherwise staying still until Morgan was done. He removed his hand and stood back while Morgan ducked his head under the spigot, catching water to rinse out his mouth.

_He’s only two years younger than me, but some days, it seems like more._

Which, to be fair, happened with almost everyone on the team at one time or another.

“You alright?” Hotch asked when Morgan turned the water off.

Morgan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and nodded. “Yeah.” He looked at Hotch, a familiar glint in his eyes. “Let’s go get this guy.”

Hotch smiled briefly and turned to leave, pushing the door out of his way. He strode down the hall, knowing Morgan would follow him, filled with a renewed desire to close the case as soon as possible.

“Hey, Hotch.”

Hotch glanced over his shoulder, and when he saw Morgan had stopped, he did the same. He looked at Morgan, a curious quirk in his brow, and waited to see what would be said.

Morgan looked at him for a few seconds, and then he offered a simple, “Thanks.”

Hotch nodded affirmatively. “Of course.” He waited a second to see if Morgan would say anything else, but it seemed Morgan was done.

They resumed walking, Morgan’s footsteps echoing after Hotch’s in the empty hall, and Hotch felt a sense of ease settling in the air. Even if nothing else good came from the case, at least Hotch had been given an opportunity to remind Morgan that no matter what, Hotch had his back. Hotch liked to think those kinds of reminders were worth the pain it took to get them.

And hopefully, Morgan did, too.


End file.
